University of Pennsylvania · Biomedical EngineeringCancer Metabolism and Imaging Unit
David A. Mankoff · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
David Mankoff's lab focuses on understanding how certain aggressive cancers, particularly triple-negative breast cancer, utilize glutamine metabolism and glutamate transport to survive and resist treatment. They are developing advanced imaging techniques using positron emission tomography (PET) to measure these metabolic processes and to identify patients who may benefit from specific therapies targeting these pathways. By linking imaging data to treatment response, the lab aims to improve personalized cancer therapies and outcomes for patients.
PET Imagingglutamine metabolismtriple-negative breast cancerglutamate transporttargeted therapyoxidative stresscancer metabolismbiological markers
Research Aims
3AIM 01Validate quantitative markers for cellular glutamine pool size from dynamic PET imaging.
AIM 02Develop markers for cytosolic glutamate pool size and transport.
AIM 03Evaluate the utility of combined PET methods to predict treatment response.
Skills the Lab Values
PET imagingglutamine pool size analysiscell culture techniquespre-clinical cancer modelspharmacodynamics assessmentxenograft modelsbiomarker validationdynamic imaging methods
Output against the department
Publications602top 11% of dept.66th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations21ktop 16% of dept.94th of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.